Reels for storing flexible media, such as wire, hose, fabric, chain link, or rope, typically comprise a core interposed between two flanges. In general, the flexible media is wound or wrapped around the core and held in place by the flanges. Reels intended for industrial transport, storage and use of flexible media vary greatly in size. Reels have traditionally been fabricated out of wood or metallic material, and have more recently been fabricated from paper and plastic products.
Ideally, a reel combines structural strength with simplicity and economy of manufacture. One commercially available reel design that combines strength with simplicity is a common wood reel. Wood reels typically include a wooden core, a pair of wooden flanges, long bolts and matching nuts. The long bolts and matching nuts secure the flanges to the core. Specifically, one or more bolts are inserted through one flange, through the core, and outward the other flange. A nut is then rotatably tightened on the protruding bolt, thereby securing or trapping both flanges to the core.
A significant drawback of the nut and bolt flange securing design described above relates to the reliability of the resulting reel. Specifically, the conditions under which reels are transported and stored often causes loosening of the nuts. For example, a reel manufactured under environmental conditions in one manufacturing facility may subsequently be shipped in a vehicle, train or ship having higher or lower temperatures and/or humidity. Accordingly, the reel is often exposed to severe climate changes during shipment. The severe climate changes can cause the reel structure to expand and contract repeatedly, which in turn can cause loosening of the nuts on the bolts. Vibration during shipment can also contribute to the loosening of the nuts. A loosened nut can produce catastrophic results to the end user. In particular, users of industrial reels often employ high speed winding machines to wind the flexible media onto the reel. If the nuts that secure the flange to the core are loosened during shipment, the operation of the high speed winding machine can further loosen the nut until the flanges become disengaged from the core. The disengagement of the flange during the winding operation can cause significant production delays and possible injury.
Similarly, reels with finished goods, in other words, reels that have already been wound, may undergo similar thermocycling and/or humidity cycling which could cause the nuts to loosen. Failure of reels with finished goods can have similar catastrophic consequences.
Accordingly, it is desirable to utilize reels that rely on connecting techniques that are alternative to the nut and bolt design. U.S. Pat. No. 2,856,136 to Howsam employs such an alternative flange securing design. Specifically U.S. Pat. No. 2,856,136 describes a disposable reel that includes a frame having a plurality of axially extending rods that extend through the flanges of the reel and are bent against the outside of each flange to secure the flange to the central core. To construct the reel, the flanges are place over the rod ends such that the rod ends extend outward the flanges. A circular wire hoop is then spaced radially outward the extending rod ends on the flanges. The rod ends are then bent over the wire hoop at each flange to secure the flange to the core of the reel.
A drawback to the reel design described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,856,136 is its complexity of manufacture. Specifically, the placement of the circular hoop and the bending of the various rod ends over the hoop requires potentially time-consuming manufacturing steps. Furthermore, the disclosed frame structure itself includes eight rods and three circular hoops in addition to the two wire hoops discussed above. Thus, the frame itself raises manufacturing complexity issues. Moreover, combination of eight rods and five hoops adds to the material cost of the reel manufacture.
Accordingly, there is a need for a simple, structurally sound wire reel that uses a flange connection mechanism that is alternative to the nut and bolt combination of the prior art. Such a reel design should advantageously have reduced material cost and simplicity of manufacture.